'Creativity, quality, integrity': Local breweries reject buck-a-beer

If you’re expecting a discount on your favourite craft brew from Premier Doug Ford’s avowed buck-a-beer program, you could be crying in your suds.

The last time Ontarians could be sold beer for $1 a can or a bottle was a decade ago, a minimum price the former Liberal government boosted to $1.25.

Now, with Ford rolling back the legislation to allow buck-a-beer again, as he promised during the summer election campaign, the rock-bottom price is expected to fall before Labour Day.

The number of small craft breweries in Ontario has exploded since buck-a-beer was last allowed, including in Southwestern Ontario where some breweries have made their operations tourism destinations.

But unlike the nation’s big brewers, which rely heavily on volume, craft breweries — an industry association puts their numbers at more than 250, with more than 100 others in the planning — cater to a niche market and many say they can’t afford to sell suds for as little as $1.

A sampling of what some in the industry in Southwestern Ontario say about the Progressive Conservative government’s price-discount plan:

Cowbell Brewing Co., Blyth “It’s certainly something Cowbell Brewing won’t be pursuing. We have invested heavily in great equipment, great ingredients, we’ve hired 169 people already and we know that our consumers want a really great beer experience. It’s not a market at all that we are interested in pursuing. We’re going to continue on doing what we are doing and the consumers will decide if our beer is the right price or not.” — Dave Clarke, chief commercial officer

Sons of Kent Brewing Co., Chatham “We take our brewing processes and the quality of our ingredients very seriously. This typically tends to cost more, but it allows us to make the best beer possible, instead of making the cheapest. Craft beer is built on creativity, quality and integrity, all while supporting the communities we call home. I don’t see how any craft brewery could make a quality product at that price. However, if a brewery wants to sell their beer for a dollar, I don’t see why they shouldn’t be allowed.” — Colin Chrysler, head brewer and company co-founder

Gavin Anderson of Anderson Craft Ales (file photo)

Anderson Craft Ales, London “It’s physically not possible for us to sell our product for a dollar a beer because we would be losing money on every can that sold. It doesn’t matter what kind of shelf space or preferred advertising is offered. If they wanted to make it accessible to smaller breweries, they would be looking at discounting the tax rates instead of offering incentives to the foreign-owned macro-breweries.” — Gavin Anderson, owner

Bayside Brewing Co., Erieau “The fact that it is offering more opportunities for breweries across the province to be more competitive, that’s a good thing in terms of changing the minimum pricing. Time will tell for the effects that this will have on the marketplace.” — Nancy Cowan, co-owner

Forked River Brewing Co., London“We’re not in any position to sell beer at a buck a beer without taking a large loss on it. When the prices were bumped up to $1.25 10 years ago – a lot has changed since, with costs of materials, labour, packages, taxes – everything. It’s not anything we are pursuing or can pursue. If we were to try and sell beer at a buck a beer, we would have to compromise quality or use pre-processed ingredients – things we are just really not willing to do.” — Dave Reed, co-owner

ABOUT BUCK-A-BEER

No brewer is required to sell at the minimum price.

Those that do will be offered prime shelf space at government-owned LCBO stores, or advertising in flyers and inserts, among other rewards, Premier Doug Ford says.

Ford maintains the move won’t cost taxpayers any money.

Critics contend reducing beer prices is a bid to deflect attention from other controversial government decisions and is not socially responsible.

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